Black Presidents In The Movies

Before Barack Obama became the first African-American President (sorry, Bill Clinton does NOT count) the only time we saw a Commander-in-Chief of color was in the movies. Sometimes the portrayals were dignified (Morgan Freeman in Deep Impact) other times they were not (Terry Crews in Idiocracy), but nine times out of ten the world was going to end or was already in a state of disarray. Ain’t that a b*tch?

While it’s nice to have a real life Black president to both praise and criticize, we can look forward to Will Smith turning things around for movie-Presidents in the rumoredIndependence Day sequel. In the meantime here is a rundown of the Black Presidents in the movies.

Tom Beck, Deep Impact (1998)

In this late 90s disaster flick President Tom Beck, played by Morgan Freeman, must prepare the world for the E.L.E — extinction level event (We see you Busta!). A 7-mile wide comet is on a collision course with the Earth and only a select few will be granted asylum. President Beck has the daunting task of telling everyone “Hey, we found about this a year ago and have been preparing to stop it, but we’re only telling you now.”

In 2263 a Great Evil appears and destroys a Federated Army battleship as it heads to Earth. Tommy “Tiny” Lister is President Limberg, who is not just the HNIC for America, but the entire planet. Once again we get control only when the world is threatened with annihilation.

Mays Gilliam, Head Of State (2003)

In another vote of confidence, alderman Mays Gilliam (played by Chris Rock) is chosen to run for President after the Democratic Party’s original candidate dies. Rock is a man of the people but his own party doesn’t think he’ll win. Thanks to some encouragement from his brother (played by the late Bernie Mac) Mays turns things around. The best part of the movie is watching Rock send Robin Givens packing when he screams “Security!”

Duane Elizondo Camacho, Idiocracy

500 years into the future we’ve all had our brains scrambled by too muchWaka Flockaand reality television so an idiot like Duane Elizondo Camacho, played by Terry Crews, gets to be President. Camacho is a former porn star and professional wrestler. With Jess Ventura making it to Governor this doesn’t seem that far fetched.

Douglass Dilman, The Man (1972)

In this 1972 political drama James Earl Jones plays Senate President Douglass Dilman who is handed the keys to the Oval Office when the President and Speaker of the House are killed in a building collapse. The VP declines the office siting age and health. James is the next inline making him “The Man” and the first African-American President of the United States. In an interview with Greg Braxton of the Los Angeles Times that ran Jan. 16, 2009, four days before Barack Obama was inaugurated as president, Jones was asked about having portrayed the fictional first black U.S. president on film. He replied: “I have misgivings about that one. It was done as a TV special. Had we known it was to be released as a motion picture, we would have asked for more time and more production money. I regret that.”

Thomas Wilson, 2012 (2009)

In what is essentially Noah’s Ark for the modern age Danny Glover plays President Thomas Wilson in yet another disaster movie with a Black Commander-In-Chief. Solar flares are causing the Earth’s temperature to spike triggering natural disasters across the globe. The only humans who will survive are those with a Billion dollars of spare change to reserve a seat on one of the three massive ships being built.